More than flies?

St. Thomas Aquinas once wrote that, "All the efforts of the human mind cannot exhaust the essence of a single fly." This from agruably the greatest genius of the last thousand years. If anyone understood the power...and limitations...of the intellect it was the Angelic Doctor.

All the efforts of the human mind cannot exhaust the essence of a single fly? And if this is true for flies, how much MORE true is it for human beings, made in the very Image of God?!

Should we, then, stop trying to think, stop trying to reason, stop trying to figure things out? Of course not. Heaven knows this world could use a little more rationality, and a little less hysteria.

But it does mean that as we live our lives, and try (more days than not) to get along with those around us, we'd do well to respect the dimension of mystery in others, and to practice reason with a good measure of faith and humility!

Rock Pile?

"A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral."
-Antoine de Saint-Exupery

All around us is embedded meaning, beauty, truth. This is because of Who God is. And He has created us to wonder, to discover, to engage His creation with the gifts we've been given. He'll give us the grace and inspiration for this journey. But we are free to choose, so He won't do the work for us.

Do you see rock piles in your life, or potential cathedrals? It all starts with vision, and hope. Let yourself dream, love, pray, and don't put off what you feel in your heart is essential.